TAMPA, Fla. (March 20, 2026) - The top-seeded Florida Gators defeated the No. 16 Prairie View A&M Panthers 114-55 in a first-round game of the 2026 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament at Benchmark International Arena.
Olivier Rioux, a 7-foot-7-inch Canadian center for the Florida Gators of the Southeastern Conference,[1][2] entered the game with about two minutes remaining. The 20-year-old scored his first career NCAA tournament points on a put-back dunk, prompting "Oli! Oli!" chants from the crowd.
Rioux has seen limited action during the season but has become a fan favorite, with supporters often calling for his entry in lopsided games.
Prairie View A&M forward Hassane Diallo, a 6-foot-8 player from Senegal,[3] appeared alongside Rioux on the court, highlighting the height disparity.
The Gators, the defending national champions, won by 59 points in the matchup between the Southeastern Conference regular-season participant and the Southwestern Athletic Conference automatic qualifier.
Prairie View A&M coach Byron Smith, when trailing by 30 points, told TNT broadcasters during an in-game interview that his team needed "some help from the Lord" to slow Florida.[4]
Florida advances to the second round to face No. 9 seed Iowa on Sunday at 7:10 p.m. ET.
Sources
- ESPN
Article/page title: Olivier Rioux - Men's Basketball Recruiting
Publication date: Ongoing profile
Direct URL: https://www.espn.com/college-sports/basketball/recruiting/player/_/id/510131/olivier-rioux - Wikipedia
Article/page title: Olivier Rioux
Accessed date: October 10, 2024
Direct URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olivier_Rioux - Prairie View A&M Athletics
Article/page title: Hassane Diallo - Men's Basketball
Publication date: 2024-25 roster
Direct URL: https://pvpanthers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/hassane-diallo/2405 - Prairie View A&M Athletics
Article/page title: Byron Smith - Head Men's Basketball Coach
Publication date: Ongoing profile
Direct URL: https://pvpanthers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/byron-smith/241
